Federal lands may be traded for farms

Monday, Oct. 18, 1999 | 9:39 a.m.

Commissioners from both counties will discuss legislation Thursday that allows the sale of thousands of acres of federal land near Mesquite to Lincoln County.

Portions of money raised by the federal government could then be used to purchase agricultural easements to preserve Douglas County farmland.

For the past year, federal and county officials have been pursuing a land exchange to achieve the same goal. But local officials believe the new proposal would mean less intervention from federal agencies and conservation groups.

"If we can do it all with the county and the private sector, that's what we would want to do," said Douglas County Manager Dan Holler. "I think this is much less cumbersome and will move much faster."

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